Sherlyn Anderson. A Grateful Woman. A Proud Mom. A New American.
Sherlyn is a grateful “40-something” year-old woman of Nicaraguan and Scottish descent. A single mom raising two boys, Dominic (15) and Dante (11), she treasures her home and the opportunity she has been given in Vermont.
Home means a lot more to Sherlyn than the average Vermonter. When asked about her Housing Trust of Rutland County apartment of 11 years on Seabury Avenue, she emphatically proclaims in her lovely Creole accent, “It is my castle. It is our HOME.”
For the past 8 years, Sherlyn has worked full time, 5 days a week in healthcare as an Aide with Bayada. She loves helping people and especially values the flexibility of scheduling. “The flexibility is important because I can have my boys involved in activities without worrying how they are going to get there from school. I love that they play soccer, they learned to ski, and my youngest has just earned his purple belt in karate! My boys are very busy and I think that is best for them. In Nicaragua they could never have had so much opportunity, so I want them to enjoy it.”
A little history about a very caring person.
It is no surprise Sherlyn enjoys working in healthcare. She met her now ex-husband when she rescued him as a stranger she met by chance on a bus while he was literally dying of Malaria. “Malaria is nothing to be trifled with. It is very serious condition,” she warns. Unable to walk away from this stranger in excruciating pain, she offered to help. She took him to her aunt’s house, and after he healed up with the help of her aunt’s holistic herbal remedies, a relationship developed. She soon found herself pregnant at the age 26. “In my culture,” she continues, “You get married before having a baby. That’s the way things work, so that’s what we did.” At 8 months pregnant, a wedding ensued, and soon the family of two became three.
Her husband at the time happened to be from Proctor, VT. Sherlyn always admired pictures and stories of life in Vermont. It was so clean. So green. So beautiful. So safe. She wanted to live there. Two years later, the family of three moved to Proctor to live with his parents as they tried to build a life with their son. Three years later, Dante was born. Then divorce happened, and the going got tougher.
What does a single mom who has never driven a car do when she finds herself suddenly raising two boys on her own? Add to that Vermont’s harsh winters, that can make nearly impossible to simply walk around, and even tougher to attend the boys’ activities spread out among several counties and towns. She overcomes. She pulls herself up by her proverbial bootstraps, learns to drive, gets her license, gets a job (just two days after officially becoming a U.S. Citizen) and puts one foot in front of the other, all while teaching her boys to be respectful gentlemen. This mom does it… Every. Single. Day.
Sherlyn takes nothing for granted. She reflects on the luxuries she has in her home and her life – though her definition of luxuries might sound strange to many Vermonters. “Poland Springs bottled water. Faucets that have clean hot and cold running water free of deadly parasites. Dependable electricity that almost never fails. Fresh fish. Meat. Healthcare where they have medicine always available. And even automatic doors that open for you at Price Chopper!” She exclaims wide-eyed in almost childlike wonder. “We have so much here. I am often disturbed when I hear people complaining that Rutland is not a nice place to live, that there is nothing to do, that crime and drugs are so bad, and government stinks and schools are terrible. I stop them and tell them plain and simple, you think you have it bad, go try living under Communist rule in Nicaragua and then you’ll realize just how amazing Rutland Vermont really is! We do not have any such luxuries as we have available here. And the OPPORTUNITY to get an education and become whatever you want to make of yourself is incredible. We are so blessed to be living here! Everybody should KNOW it.”
“You will always see my boys silently paying attention to the Pledge of Allegiance!” Sherlyn says, “They will always stand proudly as Americans, with their heads held high and their hands on their hearts because they appreciate living here. I’m so very proud of my boys. That’s what is important to me.”
In closing, Sherlyn adds, “My boys lovingly call me “Judge Judy” because I enforce that which is right and just. They think I am tough, and I am! I have to be – for them. They appreciate it and they love me for it. That’s what makes me happy.”